Consistent swing

[pierreman]

Hello all.

I have been playing for 6 months and have continued to have lessons throughout this period. However, I still have probs with getting a consistent and reasonable swing. I try to get to the range as much as possible but with work its not always possible.

Are there any gizmos or practice aids, that work, which can be used indoors to help my swing? I have no garden and I'm not a millionaire so I must take those things into consideration as well!

Tnaks in advance!

 

[brendy]

No aids will help with a full swing, why not try a half swing, get that right then work up.

 

[Basher]

I agree with brendy.
My first lesson with my pro saw me going right back to basics.
He had me doing quarter and half swings concentrating on turning (something I was failing to do effectively)on both backswing and downswing.
With my new half swing I found I was actually hitting the ball further than my old full swing.
I also found that concentrating on a shortened backswing gave me much more accuracy.

It's so easy to revert back to giving it the old heave-ho and lose all feeling and consistancy. It certainly pays to ease back sometimes, it makes a hell of a difference to your game as the ball more often lands where you planned it to.

 

[HTL]

Welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy it.

A shortened club will help you practise your grip, tempo and swing. Just make sure you are practising the correct things.

Leadbetter has a swing training thing like you described.

 

[The23rdman]

you can practice your set-up and takeaway, which are the most important parts to get right along with the transition. you can practice turning correctly and maintaining your spine angle by going into your posture with your arms crossed over your chest and turning back and through in front of a mirror. Watch to make sure your spine angle stays constant. If you get this right you're most of the way to a good swing.

Check out this swing from Luke Donald . Watch his spine angle throughout.

 

[RGuk]

I agree with all the posts. To my mind, the golf swing is not an easy thing to learn and simply hitting balls is not going to get you better. There are no quick fixes that I know of, although there are lots of gadgets and gizmos that can really help, of course.
There is such a thing as an ideal swing, but even the theory (technical understanding) changes over time. For example, the Leadbetter approach is not considered "good enough" for some folks these days, and many of the good old swing basics have been re-thought or adjusted to mirror current trends.
Whatever, building a consistent swing requires us/you to develop a style that works and that we can then "ingrain" with practice. Even the best swings can suffer with inconsistencies and fragility on the course. Look at all the guys who swing it as-good-as-perfect (Tiger, Adam Scott, Ernie), practice all hours but still suffer under pressure or slip up now and again. To this there is no answer.
So, for everyday players, the only hope is to work on a usable swing and practice as much as possible
In a way, at the crucial moment, all that matters is that you are on path and in harmony with the club face. To achieve this, everything you do from start to finish has a place in whether you'll swing it well or it's a disaster. Most players/teachers/pros want to get things as "right" as possible, leading to a good position at the top of the swing to come down well. I used to think it was all in the backswing, but recently I have started to learn about how to control the downswing too.
Sort out the basics (GASP etc.) then work on making a good turn and getting the club on plane. It's all about maximising the chances of success.
If things are going badly, lessons are the best chance of improving matters, any gadgets/drills/thoughts that can help you get things healthy have got to be good news.
I've practiced with alignment aids (clubs!) towels, shafts in the ground, other balls, head-covers....all kinds of random and free crap!!! Has it helped?.....I think so.....can't imagine I'd have played under 90 without lessons/drills/aids let alone 75s etc. which used to be common place. But I've always been a mad practicer and don't have any embarrassment at doing weird things down the range or swinging with bits and bobs to help me out.

 

[pierreman]

Thank you to all above. The common thread is practice and keep doing so. I will, patience is a virtue they say! Lets hope I can get in in under 100, then the target becomes 95 and so on.

Thanks again!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It becomes self-perpetuating. You break 100 and so want to shoot 95 etc. Similarly you begin to practice (and providing you are working on the correct basics) you want to work harder to improve more.

I love to practice. I have said on here before given a choice of playing a rushed 9 on a crowded course after work or spend 2 hours on the range I'll be on the range every time.

I'm lucky to have good practice facilities at my club and can work on everything from chipping, putting and bunker play through to long irons and woods. I know not everyone has the same appetite as me to try different things or work on my swing or access to the facilities to do so.

Work on what you can. Enjoy your practice time and more imprtantly enjoy the fruits of your labours as those cores begin to tumble.

PS welcome to the asylum

 

[viscount17]

The hardest thing I find is knowing <u>how</u> to practice. I'll go down the range and hit balls but without feedback I suspect much, if not most, is wasted.
I've had lessons, have another booked and will, doubtless have more. Within a lesson I'll start to swing smoothly and consistently - until I think about what I'm doing when it all goes to pot.

 

[TWM]

The best feedback is what you see on the course. How close are you getting to the ever changing target?

 

[viscount17]

going backwards at the moment. I can usually get the driver to behave and the putter has given me some happy moments but it's in between that's wrecking it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'm much the same. My range work is not too bad in all components but as soon as I step onto the course everythig goes to pot particularly my driving

 

[Basher]

Like others I find my work on the range satisfactory. I'll hit a good percentage of my range drives straight and long, my iron play is good and accurate.
However............get me on the course, my drives are often weak and wayward, my fairway iron play is often abysmally bad with both fat and thin shots weakly struck.

My greenside play and putting aint too bad though!

 

[viscount17]

On this basis, my miserable iron work on the range this evening should presage a wonderful round on Friday.

(I can dream can't I?)

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The problem I have is mental. I know the swing and the changes I have made with my pro are working and when I am on the range I am working mainly on posture, alignment and a compact swing (suffer a ot from an overswing and reverse pivot)

That is why I can hit the ball on the range. I am working on specifics. Once on the course I am finding it impossible to let go of these mental images from the range. Add in to the equtation wind speed, dampness of the course, pin position etc and it is not surprising I can't just stand there and fire.

I am nearly there on implementing my changes (under my pros guidance) and plan to take a day off midweek soon. I want to get out when the course is quiet and just play. Not worried about my score or the number of balls I may use. I just want to make sure swing the club properly and see where we go. Once I can do it on the course I can let go of all the other swing thoughts and get back to just playing

Well thats plan A